Method of sorting glass plates and pieces.



J. WATERLOO.

METHOD (1F SORTING GLASS PLATES AND PIECES.

APPLICATION FILED LULY 20. 1911.

l ,272, 1 56, Patente July 9, 1918,

INVENTOR MuWm Original application filed May 8, 1916, Serial No. 96,061. Divided and this application filed. July 20, 1917.-

MACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

METHOD OF SORTING GLASS PLATES AND PIECES, I

Patented July 9, 1918.

Serial No. 181,827.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WATERLoo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monongahela, WVashington county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Method of Sorting Glass Plates and Pieces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of one formof apparatus embodyingmy invention, and

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

My invention is designed to provide a method for sorting glass plates or pieces,

such as photographic plates; and more particularly to provide a method and apparatus of this character by which this work may be done in a much more rapid and eflicient manner than has heretofore been possible.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,-

in which I- have shown one form of apparatus for carrying out my invention, the numeral 2 designates a portion of a glass cutting table, which may be of any usual or suitable character; or which may be of the special character described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 96,061, filed May 8, 1916, renewed December 3rd, 1917,Serial No. 205,233.

In connection with this table,and having ,its recelving end in convenient relation to the delivery end of the cutting table, I provide a moving carrier or conveyer, which preferably consists of two parallel belts 3 in the form of relatively small endless cords or'cables. These cables pass around the carrier wheels 4 on the shafts 5. One of these shafts is driven by any suitable means. In

the drawing I have shown this shaft as provided with a friction driving wheel 6 rotated by frictional engagement with the friction pinion 7 on the armature shaft of the electric motor 8.

The plates to be sorted are placed sop-- arately and successively by the operator on the receiving end of this carrier or conveyer,

which is well lighted from the under side, either by natural or artificial light. As the plates move along on this carrier, the-oper- .ator can readily inspect each of them by It will be observed that, owing to the lim-- I ited area of the supporting means which leaves the major portion of the area of each plate unobstructed, the plates are, in effect, floated through the air while being inspected. Clear vision through the plates may thus be obtained, of a character which will enable all visible defects, both surface and internal, to be readily detected.

I do not limit myself to the use of the particular conveyer'or carrier which I have herein shown and described, since any other suitable device may be employed for this purpose. Preferably, however, it is of such a character as to provide only a limited area of support for the plates, so that practically the entire area of each. plate will be open and unobstructed for its inspection.

The present application is a division of my pending application SerialNo. 96,061, filed May 8, 1916, renewed December 3rd, 1917, Serial No. 205,233. I

I claim:

1. In the method of sorting transparent glass plates, the steps comprising moving successive plates from one point to another past an examining station while allowing light to pass directly through the major portions of their areas without obstruction,

and examining the lighted plates while thus I moving past said stations, substantially as described.

2. In the method of sorting transparent glass plates, the steps comprising moving successive plates fromone point to another.

past an examining station while allowing light to pass directly through the major portions of their areas Without obstruction, and examining the lighted plates while thus 5 moving past said stations, the plates being moved in Such a mannenwith relation to substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have herennto set my hand.

JOHN WATERLOO 

